Control of the driving style of a motor vehicle within localities (city driving cycle)

ABSTRACT

A control system for vehicles to operate at an ecological driving modus, for example in case they are used within a locality such as a city or town. A control system initiated by a clearly identifiable switch installed either at the dashboard or on the steering wheel, the switch being manually operated by the driver. The control system can be can also be initiated via radio- or light-waves&#39; signals.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

A control system for vehicles to operate at an ecological driving modusthat leads to a minimum of energy consumption and hence to a minimum ofenvironmental damage.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Nowadays control systems for vehicles are known, which considerecological and economical standards without requiring separate actionsfrom the driver of a vehicle. Such control systems mostly are initiatedby the driver of a vehicle and then follow-up automatically. The controlsystems include accounting for various driving situations. One suchcontrol system, of the invention is recommended for driving situations,which are not yet taken into consideration. Nonetheless these drivingsituations are equally as important as other driving situations that arealready considered.

An example of a driving situation that is typically not considered, andthus, less controlled by control systems, occurs within the boundary ofa city. Traffic lights, less easy to survey passages for pedestrians,and delivery traffic and hindrances created by road work or buildingsites create a permanent stop and go situation that is a drivingsituation that is problematic.

For current vehicles, driving without the boundaries of a city is aproblem as consumption of energy combined with emission ofpollution-gases into the environment within the boundary of a city is aproblem.

Nowadays support systems for vehicles are known, which inform whetherthe way of driving meets ecological standards, and shows, how high theconsumption of gas is per kilometer of driving distance. In this way thedriver of the vehicle is informed how to organize his way of driving inorder to meet ecological and at the same time economical standards. Thisis called economical information. Equally a driver of an off-roadvehicle is instructed how to drive such a vehicle off-road or on roadsin an ecological and economical way in cities.

While such control systems are known, what does not yet exist is asimple operation device for driving a car inside the boundaries ofcities that consider all unexpected events when running a car. Currentsystems involve that each individual driver of a car must rely onhimself and only his experience to assist him to drive his car in ameaningful ecological and economical way in cities. It is thus desirableto improve upon the driving style of a motor vehicle within a city.

In order to meet such objectives the present invention recommends toplace operation means at the dashboard or on the steering wheel of avehicle, which support the driver of a car in cities in order to improveupon the driving style of a motor vehicle within a city. Such operationmeans may be manually manipulated switches or automatic control systemsthat are initiated by signals issued when entering into a town by radio-or light-waves signals issuing means.

All these aids are based on the combustion of carbon-hydride containedin primary-energy fuels as gasoline or diesel fuel or for electricaldrives, whenever the electrical energy is produced by means that createenvironmental damaging components. In this context energy consumptionshould be the guideline, too. Particularly for electro-drive assembliesenergy consumption should be the main guidance. Hereby functionality ofa vehicle and hence, its driving distance are limited prior to thenecessity to recharge its batteries. The functionality of a vehiclewithout demanding for a recharging of its batteries is essential for ageneral introduction into the markets of such a driving system. Thepresently known energy storage systems are accumulators, batteries andso on. They have only a limited storage capacity. This is the reason whyonly optimized energy consumption may reduce such a defect and hence,enable an acceptable driving distance.

It is already known to equip vehicles with switch-systems to have avehicle run at a certain so desired speed and by that means to controlfuel delivery to the engine in order to maintain a speed so desired.That may be the case when driving inside or outside a town. It isessential to maintain a certain speed by engine control systems and/orby controlling the gear. Engine controlling is geared by controllingfuel flow to the engine. It is also essential for such control systemsthat the goal of energy consumption is not due to ecology but tomaintain a certain speed of a vehicle. May that be due to a speedlimitation when driving on a road with a high rate of accidents or whendriving inside a town for avoiding noise and similar inconveniences.Driving inside a town plays in such cases only a subordinated role.Other components for a vehicle control, besides controlling of theengine or gear, are not taken into consideration.

For hybrid driving systems it is also known to survey the chargesituation of the batteries in order to prevent a surcharging or avoid acomplete discharge of the batteries. Therefore, either energy is furthersupplied to batteries or it is stopped.

Control systems are also known to create an efficient driving modusfollowing a pre-defined cycles, adapted to an individual characteristicof a certain combustion engine, which optimizes by an electronic controlsystem individual set of groups that are important for the running ofthe engine (e, g. cooling of individual aggregates).

From this known state of the art this invention differs essentially. Notsimple control systems for speed or generally usable driving modus arethe goal of the present invention, but all kind of control andmanipulating systems for the complete set of aggregates mounted on andto a vehicle that have an impact to an ecological driving inside oftowns, particularly having an eye to the in town traffic situation.Moreover, the present invention is directed to, not only manipulatingthe operational requirements of an internal combustion engine, but alsoconsidering energy consumption of all type of vehicles includingelectrically driven and hybrid vehicles.

This is the point at which this invention starts. One object of thepresent invention is at least to reduce such defects related to theactuating systems of vehicles. Combined with such intentions is animprovement of economic and ecological conditions when operating suchvehicles.

The invention recommends to provide the driver of a vehicle withpossibilities, when driving in towns or at any similar trafficsituations, to manipulate by simple means a control system thatautomatically initiates the operation of aggregates, imminently part ofa vehicle, to a driving modus that leads to a minimum of energyconsumption and hence to a minimum of environmental damage. This meansthat for example the engine runs at a minimum of gasoline consumption,that also its revolution, cooling or gear position are controlled at aminimum gasoline consumption with regard to the actual trafficsituation. In addition, suspension and air pressure in tires arecontrolled in such a way that rolling-resistance of tires on the road isminimized and high-beam headlamps are switched to low-beam headlamps.All these measures serve only one purpose, i.e. namely controlling avehicle that the goal of minimizing energy consumption, particularlywhen driving in towns. It is evident that number of aggregates, whichcan be controlled in such a way depend from the kit of a car andtherefore may differ from one car to the other. For example if a vehicleis equipped with an automatic transmission, the revolution of the engineand that of the gear can be adapted that way that the goal of minimizingenergy consumption can be approached. Having a manually shiftedtransmission a hint on the dash board may help to choose the correctgear-wheel combination for minimizing energy consumption.

When running a car in a town in towns, particular driving situationsexist, that demand for a well-balanced driving modus, should one demandfor minimized energy consumption and should one attempt to meetecological requirements. Such a necessity is not always required outsideof towns. When stopping a car in front of a traffic light, in town oroutside of a town at a construction site or when a railway crossing hasto be passed or other similar situations, a stopping of the engine-runmay be recommendable from an ecological and economical point of view.Similar situations may occur when speed limitations, accelerations andtraffic jams are present. Even controlling of the ignition point,stopping of the movement of some pistons contributes to the goal of thisinvention, since an accelerated or delayed ignition (early or delayedignition relative to the stroke of a piston, respectively prior toreaching the top dead center of a piston within the operation-cycle ofan internal combustion engine) influences significantly consumption offuel. The rolling resistance of a tire is as well known a parameter ofthe air-pressure inside the tire. All these parameters may be centrallyactivated by a switch located on the dash-board or the steering wheelonly dependent on how a car is equipped. By those means specialexperience or concentration by the driver is not anymore demanded.Therefore such a switch-element may be represented by a manuallyoperable switch that activates a control device, which influences allcontrol devices that operate individual maneuverable elements. Besidessuch a control device, it is possible to place at the entry to a town adevice that emits radio or light signals, so that a receiver for suchsignals automatically initiates such control operations, whenever a carbeing so equipped. The control device emits an impulse to a control unitin a car that activates maneuverable elements placed on each individualoperation unit so initiating operations and optimizing working of eachindividual operation unit, e. g. point of ignition, air pressure intires, choosing kind of light, revolution of engine, gearbox position,and so on, in order to reach an optimal functional relationship forminimizing energy consumption.

When leaving a town the inventive control system may react in a similarway in the opposite direction and return to a normal operation modus.For this purpose, when leaving the town area the control system fordriving in town may, similar to the operation of speed limiting devices,deactivate all operation units from in town working operation and makingthem return to normal way of driving.

In order to facilitate switching to in town way of driving that switchshould be clearly marked, for example by a “C” for city.

Objects of the invention are achieved by providing a control system fora vehicle allowing the vehicle to run at a minimum energy input, thecontrol system comprising: a manually or automatically operatedswitching unit, the switching unit being activated by an impulsesemitting organ; and an operation unit attached to an internal combustionengine, an electric motor, a gearbox a tire, or a lighting system,wherein the impulses emitting organ activates the operation unit, andwherein the operation unit manipulates the internal combustion engine,the electric motor, the gearbox the tire, or the lighting system to workat the minimum energy input.

In certain embodiments, control parameters are allocated to gear-wheelsrelationship, lighting and idling speed control.

In certain embodiments, control parameters for the control systeminclude air pressure in tires, ignition point, stop of engine run whenthere is a stop sign, additional cooling of internal combustion engineand/or super charging air.

In certain embodiments, the switch on the dashboard or steering wheel isclearly and unmistakably marked by a big letter “C”.

In certain embodiments, the control system is activated by a radio-wavesignal.

Other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a controlsystem for a vehicle to be manually and automatically used for drivingin town in an ecological manner that acts on internal combustion enginesand its gearboxes, the control system comprising: a manually orautomatically operated switching unit, the switching unit beingactivated by an impulses emitting organ; and an operation unit attachedto an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a gearbox a tire,or a lighting system, and related operation units controlled byparameters that influence the environment, so that the vehicle to run ata minimum energy input, wherein the impulses emitting organ activatesthe operation unit, and wherein the operation unit manipulates theinternal combustion engine, the electric motor, the gearbox the tire, orthe lighting system to work at the peak of the minimum energy input.

In certain embodiments, the switch is attached to the dash board orsteering wheel and is clearly and unambiguously marked.

In certain embodiments, the control system may be activated by a signaloriginated from a radio-wave or light-wave emitter.

In certain embodiments, the related operation units include air pressurein tires, lighting systems, cooling of surcharge air for the engine,air-conditioning systems, and ignition point.

Other objects of the invention and its particular features andadvantages will become more apparent from consideration of the followingdrawings and accompanying detailed description. It should be understoodthat the detailed description and specific examples, while indicatingthe preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes ofillustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a control system in connections with parts of avehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 1 is a schematic of a control system inconnections with parts of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment ofthe invention. FIG. 1 shows a switching unit 1, a switch 2, a controlunit 3, a control element 4, an operation unit 5, a dashboard 6, agearbox 7, a tire 8, a suspension 9, a traction device (engine orelectric motor) 10), a lighting system 11 and ignitions 12.

FIG. 1 shows switching unit 1 having a switch 2 that are attached to acontrol system 3. The control system 3 is shown mounted on a dashboard.The control system controls control element 4 which control lighting 11and operation unit 5.

The control unit 3 controls the control element 4, which controlsgearbox 7 and operation unit 5. The control unit 3 controls a tractiondevice 10 and ignitions 12 through the operation unit 5.

The control unit 3 controls the control element 4, which controls thesuspension 9 and tire 8.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection withcertain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that thisis by way of illustration and not of limitation, and that variouschanges and modifications in form and details may be made thereto, andthe scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as theprior art will permit.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature, and,thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention areintended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations arenot to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A control system for a vehicle allowing thevehicle to run at a minimum energy input, the control system comprising:a switching unit; a control unit connected to control elements andlocated inside the vehicle; and an operation unit attached to aninternal combustion engine, an electric motor, a gearbox a tire, or alighting system and connected to one of the control elements; whereinthe control unit is configured to be activated by the switching unit ora signal originated from a radio-wave or light-wave emitter; wherein thecontrol elements are configured to activate the operation unit, andwherein the operation unit is configured to manipulate the internalcombustion engine, the electric motor, the gearbox, the tire, or thelighting system to work at the minimum energy input.
 2. The controlsystem of claim 1, wherein control parameters are allocated togear-wheels relationship, lighting and idling speed control.
 3. Thecontrol system of claim 1, wherein control parameters for the controlsystem include air pressure in tires, ignition point, stop of engine runwhen there is a stop sign, additional cooling of internal combustionengine and/or super charging air.
 4. The control system of claim 1,wherein the switching unit is located inside the vehicle.
 5. The controlsystem of claim 1, wherein the radio-wave or light-wave emitter islocated outside the vehicle.
 6. The control system of claim 5, whereinthe radio-wave or light-wave emitter automatically switches on thecontrol unit as the vehicle passes a specified location.
 7. The controlsystem of claim 6, wherein the specified location is a town or a city.8. A control system for a vehicle to be manually and automatically usedfor driving in town in an ecological manner that acts on internalcombustion engines and its gearboxes, the control system comprising: aswitching unit; a control unit connected to control elements and locatedinside the vehicle; and an operation unit attached to an internalcombustion engine, an electric motor, a gearbox a tire, or a lightingsystem and connected to one of the control elements; and relatedoperation units configured to be controlled by parameters that influencethe environment, so that the vehicle to run at a minimum energy input;wherein the control unit is configured to be activated by the switchingunit or a signal originated from a radio-wave or light-wave emitter;wherein the control elements are configured to activate the operationunit, and wherein the operation unit is configured to manipulate theinternal combustion engine, the electric motor, the gearbox, the tire,or the lighting system to work at the peak of the minimum energy input.9. The control system of claim 8, wherein the switch is attached to thedash board or steering wheel and is clearly and unambiguously marked.10. The control system of claim 8, wherein the related operation unitsinclude air pressure in tires, lighting systems, cooling of surchargeair for the engine, air-conditioning systems, and ignition point.